Cultivar identification using 18S-28S rDNA intergenic spacer-RFLP in pomegranate (Punica granatum L.)

Since pomegranate is a fruit tree species showing high plant diversity, molecular techniques are required to quickly and precisely characterize and certify different cultivated varieties. The study evaluates a genetic method to identify pomegranate cultivars. The procedure is based on the Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphisms (RFLP) and Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) techniques. Ten pomegranate accessions from the varietal groups Mollar de Elche, Mollar de Albatera, Mollar de Orihuela, Valencianas and Bordes were evaluated. The results prove the appropriateness of the PCR-RFLP technique for identifying pomegranate cultivars. All evaluated cultivars were differentiated according to their genetic profiles. There is a low correlation between pomegranate morphological and genetic traits on this study.